Westfield State University

Nancy Bals was named Associate Athletic Director of athletics for Business and Operations at Westfield State University in 2015. Nancy had served as Assistant Director of Athletics since 1996.  Nancy also serves as the department’s Senior Woman Administrator.

Nancy’s primary responsibilities at Westfield State include managing team accounts, budgeting, facility scheduling, insurance management, special event planning, preseason and winter break coordination and home game management.

Prior to Westfield State, Ms. Bals was the assistant athletic director, recruiting coordinator, and head coach of women’s basketball at Endicott College aiding the college as they transitioned from a two-year all female institution to a NCAA Division III co educational member. While on the north shore, Ms. Bals worked with the EUREKA! summer camp of Girls, Inc. of Lynn, serving as the Program Director in 1996.

Upon arriving at Westfield State, Ms. Bals began Westfield’s participation in the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills program, offering a broader educational and rewarding experience for student-athletes. Since its inception in 1996 and until 2018, Ms. Bals led the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and in 2000, began the Mass. State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) SAAC. The infrastructure for the group was developed in 2001 as a result of Ms. Bals being awarded an NCAA Division III Initiative grant for Leadership Development for Members of the MASAC SAAC. To enhance the student-athlete experience at Westfield State, Ms. Bals implemented a SAAC Athletic Banquet in 1996 and created what is now known as the AD Honor Roll reception in 1999, an event that was co-sponsored by Student-Affairs and Academic Affairs to recognize student-athlete with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.  Over the years, Ms. Bals obtained over $50,000 in grants allowing the department to provide education to student-athletes and build the identity of the Westfield State Owl. In 1998, Ms. Bals created a campus committee focused on building a winning identity program. The idea of a new logo and mascot was endorsed and the project resulted in the current owl logo(s) being created by Aucella and Associates of Westfield, Mass., as well as two identical mascot costumes and the name of the mascot.

Servicing the community has always been a focus of Ms. Bals while working with student-athletes. Nancy has encouraged student-athletes to bring attention to cancer and Alzheimer’s. Historically, student-athletes at Westfield have donated Christmas presents, led clinics, attended literacy events, and worked with Special Olympics to make an impact in Westfield and the surrounding area.

During her time at Westfield, Ms. Bals served on numerous regional and national Committees. She has served on the New England Regional Advisory Committee for field hockey, softball and women’s lacrosse. She chaired the NCAA field hockey committee, served as a Facilitator for NCAA Leadership Conferences, and served as a member of the Executive Board for the National Associate of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Ms. Bals also served on selection committees for NCAA Division III leadership conferences and NCAA Division III Initiative grants.   

Nancy holds her M.S. in Athletic counseling from Springfield College where she was a Graduate Assistant coach under Head Coach Naomi Graves of the women’s basketball team. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Eastern New Mexico University where she was a member of the Zias’ women’s basketball team participating in the Lone Star Conference.  

Nancy grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and lived in Lubbock, Texas throughout high school and college. She currently resides in Westfield with her son, Wade, a sport management student at UMass.